Winner of the Bright Young Things Giveaway!

The winner of the Anna Godberson's Bright Young Things Giveaway was Wildcherry! Congratulations!!!

The Hollow ★★

The Hollow - Jessica Verday ★★ 515 pgs

Abbey's best friend has passed away and she's having problems coping. She wonders around, not really paying attention to things going on around her. She doesn't want to admit that her friend is gone. Then, she meets the mysterious Caspian. He keeps randomly appearing and Abbey is falling for him, but there's something strange about their relationship. Despite that, Abbey is starting to find her place again. She's trying to move forward, but she's also trying to figure out how her friend died. In the town of Sleepy Hollow, anything could have happened.

Apparently this is the first of a trilogy. I'll give book two a try, but if it's not any good, I won't finish the series. At first, I felt like the book was a little like Fallen by Lauren Kate. It was long and drawn out, not much is happening, and you really don't figure anything out until the end. However, the end was horrible. Maybe if I had read the original Legend of Sleepy Hollow book it would make sense, maybe not... All I know is I feel like I've wasted time. The fact that there's a second book means that there might just be time to redeem the series, but I won't go into book two being hopeful.

Some of the events in the story were predictable, but there really wasn't any resolve within book one. The main character just walks away fro the story and fails to deal with anything that has unfolded. I kept hoping it would get better, but it's all rather bland drama. There's an opportunity for a romantic element, but that's left unresolved as well. I'm rather amazed that this book managed to get published. I think it sold copies because it has a decent cover.

Acheron ★★★★★

Acheron (Dark-Hunter, #15) - Sherrilyn Kenyon ★★★★★ 728 pgs

This is the story of Acheron's past and present. Eleven thousand years ago, Acheron is taken from his goddess mother and placed into the womb of a human. He is cursed from birth. The fates have insured that his real family will try and kill him, while a relative has cursed him to be alone and to live a life of pain. Not knowing that he's a god, Acheron lives a terrible life. He's beaten and abused in every way imaginable. Then, even when he gains his powers, he's still subjected to the whim of others. When an artifact from his early days is discovered, he must work hard to find it and keep it hidden. If it got out, Ash's enemies would learn how to destroy him, both mentally and physically.

This is the book that every Dark-Hunter fan waits for. Acheron is a recurring character throughout the series. You slowly learn more and more about him, but this is the book that finally lets you see into his past. Its harsh and gut-wrenching and should make most readers cry. Kenyon has this uncanny ability to mix humor with the most painful scenes in her books. I had a hard time reading about Zarek, but this one made me cry multiple times. I always wondered how she managed to convey abuse and pain so well. At the beginning of this book, the author admits that she was abused as a child. It put everything into perspective. I'm glad she's found an outlet and that she's sharing the pain with others. This book makes me want to be kinder to others. I can't even begin to imagine the trauma that people go through.

As for Ash's present, I liked the girl that Kenyon picked. I think this part of the story was like all of her others. It was Ash's past that really stood out. I could read 1000 more pages on his life and still be content. I can also exactly where others would nit-pick this book, but I'm giving it 5 stars because I felt like I was with the characters and not reading about them, because I cried multiple times, and because I took something away from the story.

Bright Young Things Giveaway

I'll be giving away a copy of Anna Godbersen's Bright Young Things (for U.S. residents only). All you have become a follower of my blog or comment below saying you want a chance to win. I'll randomly pick a winner a on November 14th. Just remember to check back so that I can get the winner's address. Good luck.

Abrams Falls

I went for a hike the other day in the Smokey Mountains. It was approximately five miles both up and down hill over a rather rocky trail. I figured it would motivate me to walk further since there was a set destination and a waterfall at the end of the hike. I was alone, so I kept myself entertained by listening to a book on my iPod. I really enjoyed it, but I hate its location. The entrance is off of the Cades Cove loop so you spend an hour going 5-10 miles an hour just to get to the parking lot for the trail. Then, you spend an hour trying to get out. Plus, travel time just in and out of the mountains. I think I'll pick trails that aren't in major tourist areas from now on. However, since I was hiking alone, I decided the busier the trail, the safer I'd be.

Anyway, I'm really proud of myself. I hiked this trail about a year ago and after we left the falls to walk back uphill again I didn't think I was going to make it. I had to sit down and rest before carrying on. I didn't complain a lot (I kept reminding myself not to), but I didn't exactly move either. This time I took less time at the falls since I didn't want my muscles to get cold. I wanted to sit and read for a while, but I knew it'd hurt more if I relaxed. Getting back up the hill still hurt, but I didn't stop for more than 30 seconds at any given time. I managed to do the hike in 2 hours 10 minutes, cutting 50 minutes off of my previous time. The estimated time is 3-4 hours. I would have liked to have spent more time just looking around, but I learned that every time I took my eyes off my feet I almost sprained an ankle. Luckily, I made it back in one piece. I also learned that I need to purchase boots. Running shoes are really bad on trails.

Today I'm doing much better than I expected. I massaged my legs last night and today I can walk without wanting to cringe in pain. I'm almost wishing it hurt more so I can be sure I worked out, but I'm not stupid enough to be serious about that wish. I just have to remember to get off my butt tomorrow (since I failed today) and move so that I keep building muscle and burning fat.

Changeless ★★★

Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate, #2) - Gail Carriger ★★★ 374 pgs

***Just giving you an idea of the plot will spoil events from Soulless. If you think you might read the series, read book one before reading my review, or anyone else's for that matter.***

Now that Alexia Tarabotti has married, life should settle down. However, she wakes up to find her husband charging off to London because of a crisis and a whole lot of werewolf soldiers camping on her front lawn. She has to show the wolves that she is in charge and find out what her husband is up to.

Something in London is making supernaturals become normal. Vampires lose their fangs, were's can't shift, and ghosts are being exorcised. Whatever it is that's causing normalization is on the move, and it's heading in the same direction as Lord Maccon. Alexia decides that her husband will need help. She sets off on a dirigible to meet him in Scotland so that they can face his past together.

While Soulless, the first book in this series, was September's Book of the Month, it's sequal did not hold to the same standards. I seem to be in the minority with this opinion, but I enjoyed the flirting in Soulless more than I did the banter in Changeless. If I had read these a year apart, like everyone else did, I think I might have enjoyed it more. I just got frustrated with Miss Ivy Hisselpenny, as well as some of the language and the customs. I think that she does a great job with the obsessions for protocol and acting proper at all times, but that doesn't mean I find reading about them entertaining. The frivolity of it all gets on my nerves. Hence, the statement that reading them further apart would make them more interesting. Despite that, the plot was fun and interesting and Carriger left a cliffhanger that would frustrate most fans.

Alpha ★★★★★

Alpha (Shifters, #6) - Rachel Vicent ★★★★★ 472 pgs

In the final installment of the Shifters series, all the political posturing finally comes to a showdown. The prides meet in Montana to vote on who will lead the council. If their side doesn't win, there will be a war. Faythe has the evidence to blame Malone's pride for previous events, but the council may not wait to let her plead her case. If Malone gains control, Jace, Marc and her will be brought to trial for trespassing. Faythe has to work to save her boys and to keep herself from becoming a play toy for any male of Malone's choosing. More importantly, Faythe has to save her pride.

I'd like to summarize the plot a bit more, but I really don't want to risk giving anything away. This was a great end to a really good series. The final book was full of action and it shows how far Faythe has come from the whinny brat she was in the first book. (Although, I understand her reasons for acting that way.) Everything is bigger and more dramatic. It was a rather emotional ride. I cried three times, one of which was in the first few pages. Then, I shook involuntarily for a good 50 pages. My stomach was in knots almost the whole time. I would have to put the book down every 30 minutes and pace and get onto the computer to try and relax from the tension in the book. I've never had a series get under my skin like this one. and I'm sad to see it end.

Shift ★★★★

Shift (Shifters, #5) - Rachel Vincent ★★★★ 441 pgs

Faythe and her pride are preparing for war when new enemies show up on their land. They seek vengeance for the lose of one of their own and say that they have proof that one of the men in Faythe's pride was responsible. They've been framed, but these new enemies have different rules and refuse to back off unless there is absolute proof that they were not responsible. The enemies have Kaci and have given Faythe 48 hours to return with proof that Malone has lied to them. If she doesn't return then Kaci will be killed. Crunched for time, Faythe has to find a way to keep her promise that she'll keep Kaci safe, while trying to get closer to her true enemy than ever before.

Another fun, action filled book by Rachel Vincent. Even though the political maneuvering was still a large motivation behind the plot, I didn't feel the need to through my book across the room because I couldn't help Faythe. It was a nice change from the last two books. Although, maybe that means the previous two were better written to push me that far, but I needed the break. Not like Faythe got one... Faythe has to attempt to find proof in order to save both Kaci and her family. If the 48 hours ends without her task being completed, the asault on her home will continue. Plus, things are coming to head with Marc, Jace and her. She needs to deal with the boys, but her life doesn't exactly leave her enough down time to really deal with the issues at hand. Although, she'd probably be just as indecisive seeing how they are both great guys. I'm certain I know who she'll pick, but she really does need to think things through before going one way or the other. Sadly, I doubt she'll get much time for that.

Prey ★★★★

Prey (Shifters, #4) - Rachel Vincent ★★★★ 393 pgs

Faythe's world is spinning out of control. Her family has taken on two new tabbies and a new baby, someone is trying to overthrow her father, and Marc has been banished to Mississippi to live with the strays and she hasn't seen him in two months. When she finally does get to see him, their party is ambushed. Then, Marc goes missing and has left al ot of his own blood behind. Not knowing whether Marc had survived or not, Faythe gets a team together to search for him. To bad the drama doesn't stop there. Manx is up for trial on murder trial, Kaci is making herself sick by refusing to shift, and Malone's "games" are resulting in consequences that could never be forgiven. There definately won't be a happy ending.

Rachel Vincent's Shifter series is fun and action packed. I love the books, but I had to take a break after book 3. Pride managed to evoke so much emotion in me that I was too mad to actually keep reading. The book was great, but I wanted to strangle the bad guy and i hated the arogance of the man. I felt helpless when I couldn't help Faythe. It's great that Vincent was able to evoke enough emotion in me to make me want to throw the book in frustration, but it also made me antsy enough to start reading reviews of Prey to see who was going to appear in the next book. The problem is, someone posted spoilers on their review without warning the reader that they were going to give away a little too much. I went into this book knowing which characters would live and die. Despite knowing what was going to happen, I enjoyed the story. The author still evokes strong emotions from me. It would have been even greater if some mean person hadn't ruined it for me.

Over the course of the series, Faythe is growing up. It's nice to see a character who learns and grows. A lot of times authors forget that people evolve with their experiences. They don't grow quickly, but there are subtle changes. Faythe is willing to fight for what she believes is right. She's willing to stand by those who truely need her help. She's stubborn and fiesty, but she tries to use her brain. Sometimes she jumps before thinking things through, but that's part of what she's attempting to work on. Although, it's almost impossible for her to use logic when it comes to the boys in her life.

Spy Glass ★★★★

Spy Glass (Glass, #3) - Maria V. Snyder ★★★★ 424 pgs

In the final installment of the Glass series, Opal Cowan must find out who she is inside. She's always had the ability to charge glass with magic, but after Opal had to siphon her own magic to win a fight she's lost her abilities. Now, many people are unhappy with her. Her glass messengers had allowed magicians to communicate with one another, but now all communications are coming to a stand still as the remaining glass runs out of magic. Also, Opal has discovered that she's developed an immunity to magic like Valek. She can feel magic, but she can no longer wield it. This will make the magicians who are livid with her even more weary of her. Opal feels lost and doesn't know who she is any longer. After discovering that her kidnappers, from Sea Glass, may have had extra vials of her blood hidden, Opal decides she must attempt to find them in order to regain her powers. And, hopefully to return to feeling normal.

Throughout the book many of my favorite characters return to interact with Opal. She gets spy lessons from Valek, attends her sisters' wedding to Leif, and meets some new people during the course of her search. After the events that led to her loss of magic, Opal has to struggle with who to trust in her life. Devlen is back and it looks like he's on her side, but Opal just can't tell for sure after his actions and because of his addiction to blood magic. To make it harder on her, she still has feelings for him. She has to figure out what to do with him and Kade.

Snyder is one of my favorite authors. I had no idea that this was intended to be the last in the series before reading. The end felt somewhat final so I felt the need to search for answers. Snyder did mention the possibility of another spin-off. This one is a spin-off of her Study series if anyone is curious to read anything by Snyder. Although, the Study series is more of an adult fantasy, while this one is YA. You can start with Storm Glass and you'll get a brief back story, but if you're an adult I would just start with the original series. You'll feel closer to the characters.

Anyway, I knew where this book was going to lead from events left unresolved in Sea Glass. However, I didn't know how anything was going to play out. I have given Snyder multiple 5 stars before, but I only gave her 4 stars this time. I felt like events concerning the Cloud Mist Clan and certain family members weren't resolved completely. Some mention of them in the end would have probably pushed me to 4 1/2 or 5 stars. With that one exception, I loved the story. Even though Opal is down and depressed, she's still willing to fight for others and do the right thing. I liked how events played out in the story and how Opal grows throughout. Although, I was shocked with the last few pages. I didn't think Opal would move (?) so quickly. (I can't think of an appropriate word that wouldn't give away the ending. And no, move is not a euphemism for sex. )

Shade ★★★★

Shade (Shade, #1) - Jeri Smith-Ready ★★★★ 309 pgs

Aura has had an amazing day. It's her boyfriend birthday. Logan and his brother just played a wonderful gig and got an offer from a record company. Now, she's going to give him the birthday present he's always wanted; she's going to spend the night with him. There's only one problem - he's partied a little too hard. He leaves her for a few minutes in an attempt to sober himself up. Next thing she knows there's shouting in the hall. She runs out into the hall to find out what's happened, only to see Logan's ghost. She can still hear him and spend time with him, but she has to decide if she can actually have a life with him. Just because he's still around doesn't mean that things are the same. Aura has to learn to move on, while trying to convince him to do the same.

This story was very different than a lot of the YA books that I've been reading. There are similar plot lines, but the world is different. Aura lives in a world that has shifted. Every child born after the shift can see ghosts. Kids scream at things their parents can't see. Aura is slightly different than the rest of the post-shift kids. She was the very first child to be born after the shift. While she doesn't know why this is important, she does know to keep the fact a secret from almost everyone.

The story itself was very emotional. I cried twice. I don't know if it was necessarily because of the writing, or I just fear losing someone I care about. There are multiple storyline's throughout the book, but the most important one to me had to deal with coping with death. How do you move on? Where do you place the blame? Should blame even be placed when a death was accidental? How do you then move on to future relationships?

One of the issues that got to me when reading the story was the reaction of the the other kids. A lot of them were cruel and said stupid things. Gossip is painful and it does nothing to help a situation. I don't understand how we as a society can't put aside differences to support someone when they really need it.

I'm looking forward to figuring out what will happen next. She's set the book up so that people will be interested to continue. Aura has decided that she's going to try and find out what caused the shift. She feels like her mother might have played a roll, or at least understood, in what caused the shift. She also meets Zack, the very last child born before the shift. Once she has finally coped with her emotions, she's hoping that maybe one day she'll find a way to help the ghosts, or those that turn into Shades and fade into the darkness.

To Tame A Highland Warrior ★★★

To Tame A Highland Warrior (Highlander, #2) - Karen Marie Moning ★★★ 366 pgs

Gavrael has been running from his past and fears of his future. He is constantly hunted by a rival clan and must keep himself from those he cares about in order to protect them. However, one day he gets an urgent message saying, "Come for Jilian." He rushes to her only to find out that her father has invited him and two other males to court his daughter.

Julian has scared all of her previous suitors away with tales of becoming a nun, or feigning madness. It's always worked before, but this time her father has picked men that know her family. These men are too smart for her to push them away. She knows who she wants, but he keeps pushing her away. She knows he's interested, but will he fight for her?

The story was fun. Book one was a little better since book two even more predictable than the average romance. I really enjoyed Jilian's character. Gavrael makes the same mistake every romance has - he decides he's going to keep something from the one he loves in order to protect her. It never turns out well, and the mistake gets rather annoying after the hundredth time its been used in a plot, but without someone being stupid there'd be very little drama in the things we read.

Dark Side of the Moon ★★★1/2

Dark Side of the Moon (Dark Hunter, #10) - Sherrilyn Kenyon ★★★1/2

Angry that he'd allowed himself to be caught like this, he manifested a stake in his hand. "You know the legend. Stab them in the heart and they'll die." He handed her the stake.

Susan's eyes held a degree of fear as she wrapped her hand around the stake and offered him a brave smile. "Call me Buffy. I'm even blond, but don't ask me to wear a halter top."

Susan Michaels was once a big shot reporter in D.C. until a big story she released backfired on her. She lost almost everything in the fallout. Now she's working for a crazy newspaper that has articles titled like "Boy Eaten By Killer Moths." She thinks they're loony, but she needs a job. Her boss assigns her to look into a blog about a catman, but before she can look into it she gets a frantic call from her only remaining friends telling her they've uncovered something huge. After meeting her friends at the animal shelter, she's told that someone high up they police chain is pulling strings and making missing persons cases disappear. To keep up with pretenses, when she leaves the shelter she takes a cat with her.

When Susan gets home the cat has disappeared and there's a man passed out on her floor. If that isn't enough, the cops show up at her door and bust in for no reason. Next thing she knows, she's been accused of murder and finds herself in a world she never knew existed. She decides she's going to stay close to her catman since it appears that he's bulletproof. Too bad she's allergic to cats.

This was another fun story by Kenyon. This time there's a new twist. It's not just Stryker and his crew out to get the dark-hunters. They've teamed up with humans. The story itself is not as cutesy or pain filled as a lot of the other books. Both Susan and Ravyn have a traumatic past, but it's not written as forcefully as some of the other ones. Although, I'm somewhat traumatized by the end of the story. Events happened that I never expected. This is all leading up to something big and can't wait to find out what that is.

Unleash the Night ★★★1/2

Unleash the Night (Dark Hunter, #9) - Sherrilyn Kenyon ★★★1/2

Maggie is the daughter of a senator, but she's never really fit in to the upper class echelon. She goes to Sanctuary in memory of her missing friend, Nick. It was his favorite place to hang out. She recognizes Wren from the stories she's been told and she can tell that he's watching her. He's quite and different, but she knows he has a good heart.

Wren Tigarian has no clan. He's a "freak" - a mix of snow leopard and white tiger. Even his own mother wanted him dead. He tries to hid himself, to keep people at a distance so that he can protect himself, but when Marguerite D'Aubert Goudeau walks into Sanctuary he's drawn to her. He tries to keep his distance, but he can't. He has an overwhelming urge to protect Maggie, but he'll have to confront his own screwed up past in order to do so.

I thought the story was cute. I liked Wren and Maggie together. My only issue was that Wren went from monosyllabic Neanderthal to speaking to others fairly quickly. Looking back on the story, I understand that he had to progress as he did to move the story along, but when I was in the story it felt a little too fast to be believable. Although, we're talking about magical creatures here so maybe I shouldn't expect believable. =)

I liked the time travel aspect of the story and the events that transpired from then until the end of the story. There were a few surprises that I hadn't expected. Although, it was weird to have a story that didn't involve Acheron. Also, Nicholette shocked me with her actions in this book. It should be interesting to find out what happens next.

Eat, Prey Love ★★★1/2

Eat, Prey, Love (Love at Stake, #9) - Kerrelyn Sparks ★★★1/2 373 pgs

Caitlyn Whelan has just returned to the US after being fired from her job in the state department. She's come to Romatech after receiving an invitation from her long lost sister, Shanna. At Romatech she discovers that the world as she knows it isn't the same. The paranormal really does exist. After signing on at Romatech, Carlos Panterra is charged with training her to defend herself, but the training isn't going well. First off, she's not a fighter. Secondly, when she manages to finally hit her target all men cringe - she hits below the belt. And most importantly, the sexual tension between the two are volatile. Caitlyn taunts and teases, driving Carlos absolutely insane. But he can't have her... he has to travel to Thailand to find more of his kind. Carlos needs a mate. His species is becoming extinct. He needs a mate to not only help his species revive itself, but to help him raise 5 orphaned shifters that he has taken under his paws. He has to get Caitlyn out of his head. Too bad she won't let him...

I love Kerrelyn Sparks. There's obviously a cheesy aspect to these books, but they're funny and entertaining. I love all of the characters. Sparks has a man for everyone's fantasy: Scottish, French, Italian, South American... They're all sexy. Carlos, with his alpha male attitude doesn't disappoint. I read PNR for the flirting between the characters. I love the development of a relationship. Caitlyn just throws the taunts and teases at Carlos and it's makes for a fun read.

On the romance aspect of the story, Sparks did an amazing job. When it came to the action... She had a good build up and there was a lot of potential, but the final battle scene ended rather quickly. I'm sure that we'll learn more in the next book, but I docked the book half a star because I felt like she could have added a bit more action. Slacking on the action is a common issue with romance writers. Sometimes Sparks does a great job, but other times things fizzle a page or two too early. I still recommend the series to anyone who wants to laugh and fall in love with sexy vampires and shifters from all over the world.

How to Ditch Your Fairy ★1/2

How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier ★1/2 304 pgs

14 year old Charlie has a parking fairy and she's sick of it. She wants a cool fairy, one that will help her shop, get boys, etc. She's tired of being forced to tag along whenever anyone needed to drive somewhere just so that they could get the best spot, she's not even old enough to drive herself. Charlie has decided that she's going to force her fairy to leave by walking and refusing to use any type of vehicle. She's getting closer, her fairy is fading, but walking everywhere is taking it's toll. She's ending up late to class and getting demerits. She's tired of getting into trouble and doesn't want to get expelled. When a senior kidnaps to get a good parking spot her fairy starts to gain strength. She's had it. Teaming up with an old "enemy," the two of them swap fairies. Too bad her new fairy isn't all it's cracked up to be.

As you can tell from the summary, the story was rather ridiculous. It's a fast read, but unless you're in middle school it's not very appealing. Plus, I found a few errors. It's light and fast paced. Normally I wouldn't mind the cutesy aspect of the story, but it just didn't click with me. I felt like I had lost brain cells while reading. Of course, I appear to be in the norm. Most people found the story to be at least "ok."

Speak ★★★★★

Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson ★★★★★ 198 pgs

"THE FIRST TEN LIES THEY TELL YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL
1. We are here to help you.
2. You will have enough time to get to your class before the bell rings.
3. The dress code will be enforced.
4. No smoking is allowed on school grounds.
5. Our football team will win the championship this year.
6. We expect more of you here.
7. Guidance counselors are always available to listen.
8. Your schedule was created with your needs in mind.
9. Your locker combination is private.
10. These will be the years you will look back on fondly."

Speak is a story about depression. Feeling alone, to afraid to speak up, not knowing where how to begin to become "normal" again. Melinda is an outcast. Over summer before starting her freshmen year she broke up a high school party by calling the cops. Everyone is pissed at her, but no one stops to ask her why she made the call. Melinda didn't stick around to talk to the cops either. Now, she has to deal with her freshman year on her own. She makes a half-ass attempt to befriend someone, but she can't stop being depressed and she can't seem to open up about it either. Melinda tries to shut herself off, she sleeps, ditches class, fails to turn in homework, stops talking, hides, but she needs to find her voice. She needs to speak.

I had heard wonderful things about this book, but I never looked into it. I just left it on my To Be Read list and didn't think twice about it. I finally read it for a reading challenge and I am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. It was amazing. It's raw. The story mixes depression with humor. There were some hilarious quotes. Melinda is sarcastic and sardonic, but makes valid observations. You can't miss the pain when reading Anderson's story.

I went into this story without reading any plot summaries. I wanted to go into it blind. I think that was the best way to read about Melinda. I figured out what happened fairly early on, but it's not necessarily a secret for the reader. Although, I won't mention what led to Melinda's depression here. The point is to watch as Melinda's story unfolds, to feel her pain, to feel unwanted and to feel like you're the freak, to slowly start to find your voice again and come out of your shell, to finally speak. I'm glad high schools are using this book. It's an important topic. For those of you that think high schoolers should be sheltered from this, you're stupid. It happens. You're children need to know not to lose their voice if it happens to them. They need to stand up for themselves and not let something eat away at them and destroy their childhood, their life.

Ghostland ★★★1/2

Ghostland (Ghostland World, #1) - Jory Strong ★★★1/2 341 pgs

In a post-apocalyptic world, humans are terrified of those with special abilities. After members of the upper-class begin to turn up murdered in black-magic rituals, Aisling is forced from her home to Oakland where she must travel into the Ghostland and attempt to find the most recent missing soul. The fact that the trip didn't kill her like others before her has marked her. Different factions attempt to use her or kill her.

On top of that, she summoned a powerful being to help her save the life of the missing girl. Zurael is furious at being summoned and gains permission to travel into Aisling's world to kill her. But first, he must find an ancient tablet held by one of Aisling's enemies. He can't kill her immediately because he must use her as bait to draw forth her enemies. Getting to know Aisling might just be Zurael's undoing.

I really liked the plot in this books. It was different and entertaining. My only problem is that it's erotica and that's not a genre a like to get into. I didn't know it was erotica when I decided to read it (thought it was YA...eek), but I was told about it prior to picking it up. So, I've judged it based solely on the story, and left my opinions of the graphic scenes out since I'm the last person to judge what makes an good book in that genre. Lets just say I was shocked at some of the descriptive phrases used. TMI.

I would have given it 4 stars, but I was a little confused on the issue of Aisling's father. I feel like I needed another sentence or two before she discovers who he is just because I felt like something was missing from all the prior pieces. Upon reflecting, it all made sense, but while in the story I was confused for a second. Besides that tiny issue, I loved the world (to read about, not live in) that she creates. I liked the ferret as well. I'm curious to see if he'll be back in the next story in another form, with another person. I doubt it, but I'm unclear as to why I doubt it.

Venom ★★★★1/2

Venom (Elemental Assassin, #3) - Jennifer Estep ★★★★1/2 389 pgs

Gin Blanco is back, forced back out of retirement when an acquaintance of hers is threatened. In this book Gin learns more about the mysterious photo of her sister and why her family was killed. She has to determine whether or not to trust Owen with her secret because he seems to be getting more and more pieces of the puzzle. Like the previous stories, there's a lot of action. This time Gin has to go against Elliot Slater, Mabs number one enforcer and guard. He's a giant, with the ability to move quicker than Gin ever thought was possible. He's strong and knows how to fight, making him Gin's greatest opponent to date.

I just have to say that I love this series! It's one of my favorites. Gin is strong and confident and stands up for whats right even if it'll kill her. She's not whinny and she doesn't knowingly put herself into bad situations. I'm so tired of characters who go against everything they've been told to do just so the author can create more drama. The drama in this book doesn't stem from stupidity, but good writing. Gin might rush into things, but she keeps her brain working and processes what she's getting into. It's nice to see a character who thinks. Amazingly, they're hard to come by.

Torment ★★★★

Torment (Fallen, #2) - Lauren Kate ★★★★ 464 pgs

Luce has found herself stuck in a battle of good and evil. Things get so bad for her that the two waring sides must ban together to fight off an even bigger threat. Luce is sent to a school of nephilim to help hide her while the boys in her life attempt to defeat her enemies. Once again, Luce finds herself in a new school and meets new friends, but Luce is troubled. She's troubled by her past; she's troubled because everyone is keeping secrets from her; she's troubled because she and Daniel keep fighting; and she's troubled because one of her new male friends likes her and she likes him back.

Much better than book 1. There were about 25 pages I could have done without, but it was a far cry from the 100 that needed to be cut from book 1. This book caught my attention faster and leaves a lot of questions open for you to want to solve. I'm confused by the relationship issues, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Fall of Giants ★★★★★

Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy, #1) - Ken Follett ★★★★★ 1008 pgs

I really enjoyed this story. For the first time ever I've been interested by the events of WWI. It does read like a fictional account of a historical text book, but the great thing about the story is the way that it's woven together. You see how each and every piece fits together and influences the events of others. Texts tend to complete one subject before discussing another, making it so that different pieces and actions don't always correlate correctly in your mind. You understand the principles of everything from texts, but after reading Fall of Giants there are no grey areas about how everything falls into place.

The story is aptly named, The Fall of Giants, referring to the fall of the great European nations. Excuse the language, but the story presents the cluster f*** of events leading up to WWI, the war itself, the Russian Revolution, and then lightly touches on events in the early 20's. While most other historical fiction novels about the era give you a glimpse into what life was like for one particular character, this book follows multiple people so that you can learn about the working class, nobility, England, Wales, Russia, Germany, and the United States. While some people might get confused with so many main characters and perspectives, I found it to be the thing that made the book stand out. It was the best possible way in which to interconnect many of the events of the period and to see things that were going on simultaneously time wise.

Princess Diaries ★1/2

Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries, #1) - Meg Cabot ★1/2 283 pgs

The movie was much better. This was crap except for a few great one liners. The main character is whiny and it gets frustrating fast. It might have been decent if I were 10. There's really nothing more to write.

Bayou Moon ★★★★

Bayou Moon (The Edge, #2) - Ilona Andrews ★★★★ 447 pgs

Hillbilly's at their best. =) This one was an improvement over the last. William, the changeling, is hired by what is essentially a spy organization to retrieve information for them. If he happens to kill his greatest enemy - Spider - then they'll be even happier.

I love that Andrews creates kick-ass females and male characters that stand beside them, rather than attempt to shelter them. My only issue is that there were a few events in the end that just rushed by. There was definitely a lot of action (a lot of weird action).
It looks like it's being left open for a book 3 and I'm excited to see where it will go.

September '10 Book

Gail Carriger's Soulless



Alexia Tarabotti is soulless. She's the only one of her kind living in London. She's able to nullify the powers of a vampire, or a werewolf with just her touch. She's stubborn and refuses to follow the social norms of the Victorian Era, making her an oddity. Alexia is attacked by a vampire and kills him in self-defense. Then, vampires and were's start going missing in the area. Some think that she might be responsible, or at least have some insight into the situation. Lord Maccon, a were, tries to keep Miss Tarabotti from snooping, and getting into even more trouble, but that's near impossible when she keeps ending up in the middle of it all.
I went into this expecting to hate it. It's a genre called Steampunk. "The term denotes fictional works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era Britain—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, often featuring anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as the people of this historical period would have envisioned them to look like, i.e. based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc." (Copied from a friend who didn't site their source.) It seems like this genre is either hit or miss with people. Some love it, but others can't get into it. I didn't like my first steampunk novel. It took place in the Victorian era, but it didn't feel Victorian. It felt like the author was reaching and trying to force a modern story into a bygone era. Carriger managed to make you feel like you were in a different era. I loved the relationship between Maccon and Tarabotti. They just get on each others nerves and it reminds me of Kate and Curran from Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. I also loved the hedgehog issue. (I've always wanted one.) =) Alexia was sassy and strong and I liked that about her. I look forward to reading the next 2 in the series.
I don't think this is the best Book of the Month, but it's the best one I finished in September.

Also, FYI, starting in October I'm going to start posting books and review on this blog rather than carry on with two blogs.

Computer Room Update

1) Get the wallpaper off the wall

2) Finally paint the room
3) Get all of the popcorn off the ceiling
4) Go through every single piece of paper I own and trash everything that is now useless
5) Hopefully find a home for everything
6) Force my husband to want to strangle me since the project will get started, but never finished =)

I have 2 walls painted and 1 coat on a third wall. I haven't been motivated to paint much and when I have I've been to lazy to go get more paint from the store. I knew it'd take forever.

I'm debating on whether or not to paint one of the walls in some fancy manner. I haven't decided yet.

August 10 Book

Technically there are 2 books this month.

Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games

This is a wonderful YA book that deals with so many different issues. The series as a whole was great, but the first book was my favorite. The story is of a world after the fall of the U.S. government. As punishment for a past rebellion, the new government makes each district sent 2 of their children into the Hunger Games. The winner of the games will bring prestige and more food to their district for the next year, while the actually winner will be taken care of for life. The games are a mix of Survivor, with a little Lord of the Flies thrown in. It's a huge televised production, much like the Olympics, with a catch - the winner is the last child alive in the games. In order to survive, the kids must try and destroy their opponents. It's almost sickening to think about the content, but it's exceptionally well written and the plot raises so many discussion points about the role of government, how much a populace should take, when is it acceptable to take the life of another, etc. The whole series is a must read.

Simone Elkele's Leaving Paradise

I expected this to be another fun, but cheesy read. I didn't think I'd like Elkele's for some reason. I was very wrong. She has the ability to write gut wrenching stories that bring you to tears, or close to, while making your heart flutter at the same time. Leaving Paradise is the first book in a series (I hope to get to book 2 in the next few weeks). The story is about a boy, Caleb, who has just been released for a juvenile detention center after being accused of a hit and run while drinking and driving. The book switches perspective between him and the girl who's life was changed the day she was hit by his car, Maggie. It's an emotional roller coaster about everything that is influenced by an accident such as this one. Caleb is labeled as a criminal and has to deal with the prejudices that come from said label. His parents, particularly his mother, has issues dealing with public perceptions and tries to shut herself down emotionally. Maggie, now disabled, is labeled a "freak." People taunt and tease her because of her disability, her mother babies her, she's lost her best friend - Caleb's sister, and she's afraid to try and get back into her old life for fear of failure. Elkeles does a wonderful job of weaving their stories together and there's a nice unexpected twist in the end.

Atlanta 2010

I spent the weekend in Atlanta with a friend and had a great time. We went down to the Highlands both nights and sat at local bars and talked and watched the people in the evenings. During the days we just relaxed and didn't do much, besides some shopping. Before I left we went to a great little whole in the wall breakfast joint and i had some delicious wheat germ pancakes with a cinnamon butter. I'm going to have to try out some recipes since it was good and actually healthier than my normal breakfasts. I did a decent job of eating healthier over the weekend. I've been drinking water and actually munching on cherries and snap peas when I need a snack instead of candy bars and chips. I've kept it up so far, although my dinner Sunday was Chinese food... I blame my husband. =)

Over the weekend Mo and I made my favorite salsa and some cinnamon and sugar chips to go with it. Here's my recipe:

Fruit Salsa

3 kiwis

1 orange

1 jalapeño (seeded)

1 cup strawberries

1 cup drained crushed crushed pineapple

1/4 cup sweet peppers

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Everything has to be finally chopped. Mix them together in a bowl. You could add other things like green onions or whatever, but I'm not an onion person. It's only good for about 24 hours. Put the strawberries in a few minutes before you serve the salsa. Don't let them sit for hours in the mixture. You could probably put this on a lot of things, but I like to just eat the mix or make cinnamon chips.

Cinnamon Chips

flour tortillas (I usually use 12-14 taco size)

butter

cinnamon and sugar mix

Brush the tortilla with butter, just enough to get it wet, then sprinkle your cinnamon and sugar mix on top. You can use as much or as little per tortilla. I generally do both sides and make sure most of the tortilla is covered; otherwise, I'm just eating a regular tortilla chip. Then, cut the tortillas into wedges like you would a pizza. 8 slices are good. Lay them on a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until they start to get crisp. You'll have to bake several trays. Store in an air tight container. You can use them for about 3-4 days, or freeze them for about 2 weeks.

Toy Story 3 ★★★

I thought the movie was okay. I've never been a big Toy Story fan. I hated the first one, but enjoyed the second one. It took me a little while to get into this one, but toward the end I really managed to sucked in. There's something about the villains in these movies that creep me out. Granted, one of them is cute and cuddly, but the other one would give me nightmares as a child. I really don't understand how children watch these without being freaked out by their toys.

The premise of the story is that Andy is all grown up and going away to college. His mother tells him to clean out his room and through a series of unfortunate events the toys end up going to daycare. They're happy with their new surroundings until they meet the children who are all way too young to play with their toys in the proper fashion. After taking quite a beating they must try and escape, but that's not so easy.

Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ★★★★★

I just finished watching the Swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and I loved it. I found it to be very interesting despite the fact that I'm blind enough that I had to sit right in front of the TV to be able to read the subtitles. Also, whenever our Great Dane stood up we missed a few sentences. I suddenly feel bad for ignoring the book. I wish I would have picked it up a long time ago. Luckily, a book group that I'm in will be reading it during July and I'm sure that I will then consume the entire series. I look forward to the mysteries.

The premise of the story is that an old man has asked a reporter to look into a 40 year old murder case that no one seems to have been able to solve. The man suspects that the murderer is one of his family members and would like to see some resolution before his own death. The reporter begins to uncover a story that is bigger than expected with the help of an unlikely source - the girl with the dragon tattoo. The movie is not suitable for children, as some scenes were very difficult to watch.

The DVD will be released on Tuesday for those of you who would like to watch. However, if you want to see it in English you will have to wait. It is currently in pre-production mode and they are making casting decisions. Currently there are a lot of big names interested in obtaining roles in the film. I'm looking forward to it.

Computer Room

My computer room has been a mess since about a month after we moved into our home. It seems to be our dumping ground when we don't know where to put something. I've decided that I'm clearing out the room. Cleaning it hasn't helped so I'm going to move the whole room into the guest bedroom. It will force me to do a few things:
1) Get the wallpaper off the wall
2) Finally paint the room
3) Get all of the popcorn off the ceiling
4) Go through every single piece of paper I own and trash everything that is now useless
5) Hopefully find a home for everything
6) Force my husband to want to strangle me since the project will get started, but never finished =)


Wish me luck!

May 10 Book

I've kind of forgotten that I had a blog until recently. Sorry. It's not like any of you actually read this or anything posted here is important so I guess that's okay. =)
Anyway, out of all the books I've been reading recently, and there have been a lot... The only one that I've given 5 stars to since the Frost book has been:

Ilona Andrews' Magic Bleeds

It's the 4th book in a series and it's my favorite of the series as well. I fought reading this series. The covers are so tacky and I didn't expect much from them. The first book took a while to get interesting. The second one got better and so forth. With her newest book, I was excited, nervous, frustrated, happy... I enjoyed the emotional roller coaster. if you looking for entertainment then this is a good read.

Other recommendations:

The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting

I'm Tired

Why is it that when you get a few days off you become more tired than you were when you were working? Sleeping in is exhausting!

Time Traveler's Wife

I finally got to watch the Time Traveler's Wife. I spent more than 30 minutes crying during the movie. I've never cried like that during a movie before. Some tears, sure. Non-stop crying, not so much. I think part of the issue was that I knew what was going to happen so everything seemed even sadder than it would have if I didn't know where it was going.
Also, I'm at that age where you start thinking about planning a family. Having a miscarriage terrifies me. (Not that I'm trying to have a family just yet...) It's one of my biggest fears. I can only imagine how difficult it is to get over something like that. I think that's what started me crying even earlier than most people would have.
Now, I have to get ready for work. My eyes are all puffy and blood shot and I'm sure the headache will follow shortly. =) I knew I was torturing myself by watching it, but it's an amazing story.

January 10 Book

Jeaniene Frost's Halfway to the Grave

I overlooked this book for months because I thought it was going to be one of those cheesy romance novels that suck. Well, there is romance in it, but it was a great book. I'm glad that multiple people recommend it to me or I wouldn't have given it a chance.

This book is the first of a series of an action/horror/romance/comedy that features the best leading characters I've come across. Cat and Bones are great together. Their chemistry had me interested within the first 20 pages and it held my attention throughout the rest of the series. Cat is a half-human, half-vampire mix who has a deep hatred of vampires. She sets herself up as bait in order to kill them. Bones, a vampire bounty-hunter, manages to outsmart her-starting a whole new adventure for Cat.

Frost's creating a spin-off series that will debut this February. I can't wait.


Other Recommendations:

Moon Called (Mercedes Thompson, #1) - Patricia Briggs
Fade (Dream Catcher, #2) - Lisa McMann

New Year

I think if I keep my New Year's Resolutions directed toward reading I can actually accomplish them. I've given up on Resolutions to lose weight or do other things because I become disappointed quickly. Last year my resolution was to read 100 books. I read 268 new titles and reread 20 books for a total of 288 books. Part of me wants to try for a book a day this year, but I'm afraid that life will catch up to me and make that impossible.
This year I'll aim for 150 and to try and keep my house a little more organized. I've been trying with the second part, but having a husband to rely on makes that difficult. My idea of clean is a lot different than his idea. As long as I can keep things just a tiny bit more organized I think I'd be happy. I'd love to have it clean all the time, but I'm realistic enough to know that my house only ever stays clean for 2 or 3 days at a time.
Wish me luck!
Oh, and if you can convince my husband to clean I'll give you a cookie.

December 09 Book

Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush

I loved this story. It's beautiful inside and out. The cover caught my attention and good reviews convinced me to try to read the story. The main character, Nora, has two boys that are interested in her and someone is trying to kill her. She doesn't know who she should trust. Both of the boys have shady pasts and the more Nora discovers, the more uncertain she becomes. She knows that there's something unusual going on and she has to figure it out before her and her best friend gets hurt.
I enjoyed every second of it. There's some suspense, action, and a whole lot of flirting. It's a good YA novel, but I think adults will like it as well. I think kids could become more obsessive about this than Twilight if enough people try it. I'm anxiously awaiting book 2, Crescendo.


Other Recommendations:
Wake (Dream Catcher, #1) - Lisa McMann



For other books read this month go to My Reading Blog.